Propulsive cartridge for projectiles



Sept. 1, 1936. E. w. BRANDT PROPULSIVE CARTRIDGE FOR PROJECTILES Filed March 22, 1935 Patented Sept. 1, 1936 ATENT OFFICE PROPULSIVE CARTRIDGE FOR PROJECTILES Edgar William Brandt, Paris, France Application March 22, 1935, Serial No. 12,502

. H In France April 5, 1934 8 Claims. (Cl. 102-12) This invention relates to propulsive cartridges for use in connection with mortar projectiles.

Projectiles adapted to be fired from mortars arealready known which are provided with stabilizing tails and with propulsive cartridges which fit around that portion of the tail which is comprised between the body of the projectile and the stabilizing surfaces, and which can be placed in positionon said tail. In this known .type of projectile however, said cartridges are constituted by annular cases containing the powder and, in order to enable such cartridges to be placed in position, the tail of the projectile must be previously detached from the body, so that the cartridge can be threaded over the front end of the tail, which latter has 'then to be screwed onto the projectile.

The present invention aims at providing a propulsive cartridge which, whilst preserving a substantially circular form, can be placed directly around the projectile without requiring the tail to be detached beforehand. 1

To this end, the cartridge. of the invention is subdivided into constituent charges, and is constructed after the manner of an elastic arch, the

constituent charges composing the arch being attached together by elastic connections in such a manner that the arch is capable of resilient expansion, to fit above the stabilizing fins and 30 to grip the stabilizing tail when in position.

. Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description:

In order more clearly to understand the inven- 35 tion, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates diagrammatically and by way of example one embodiment thereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an axial section of the rearward por- 40 tion of awinged projectile carrying a propulsive cartridge according to the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a section, on a larger scale, along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment shown, the body I of a pro- 45 jectile is prolonged, in the rearward direction, by a tail 2, on the extremity of which are mounted fins 3.

The propulsion is effected in known manner by the aid. of an ordinary cartridge 4 introduced 50 and frictionally held in the tail 2. Lateral openings 5 are provided in the tail 2 to enable the gases to escape.

In order to increase the range of the projectile, a variable number of propulsive relays or in- 55 crements, formed by a combustible casing containing a supplementary charge, are disposed on the tail 2.

These relays are constituted by two or more members 6 in the form of cylindrical crown segments, with rounded ends, resembling the shape 6 crown segments is less than the external diameter 15 of the fins 3, and hence these fins prevent the relays from slipping backward off the tail.

The arrangement operates as follows:

Thecartridge and the number of relays required for attaining the desired range, is placed in position in the mortar and the shot is fired by. the permission of the cartridge 4. The gases" escaping through the openings 5 set fire to the relays or increments 6 so that the gases from these increments or relays cooperate with those of the cartridge 4 to drive the projectile, by acting on its rear face. Since the relays have been placed, not on the fins, but in front thereof, their deflagration cannot damage the fins, which are consequently not exposed to any risk of distortion.

It is obvious that the invention is capable of various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A propulsive cartridge for projectiles, comprising at least two casing members for containing the propellant, and resilient means connecting the adjacent ends of said cartridge members with the exception of one pair of the adjacent ends of two such casing members which remain free, said resilient means urging the said one pair of adjacent ends the one towards the other.

2. A propulsive cartridge for projectiles, comprising at least two casing members, said casing members having rounded adjacent ends and resilient means connecting the adjacent ends of said cartridge members with the exception of one pair of the adjacent ends of two such casing members which remain free, said resilient 5 I means urging the said one pair of adjacent ends the one towards the other.

7 silient means ,connecting the adjacent ends of said members, w'iththe exception of one pair of thevadjacent" ends: of two such members which remain 'free, said resilient means yielding to 20 the forward ends of said fins terminating short" ating for urging the free adjacent'ends one to- 'war'd another for retaining the cartridge in position on the tail.

- 4. The combination witln azj projectile having o-fsaid body, of a propulsive cartridgecomprising at least two'casing members having substan ti'ally the form of cylindrical -=ciown-'segments 'for containing the propellant; "and l resilient means connecting theadjacent ends 'of 'said memberswith the exception of one pair ofthe adjacent ends of twosuch members which remain-free,

said resilient means tending to maintain the members in the form of a cylindrical crown hav iing'an internal "diameter less than'the outer diameter of the fins'and operating during the plat:-

' ing of'thecartridgef upon-'thetail of the projecj tile'tolpermit said free ends to' 'be spread out for V Foperating to 'maintainthe cartridge in position passing around the tail, said resilient means j upon the tail.

5. The combination with a projectile havingia" f body and a t'ai-l extending rearwardly therefrom, stabilizing fins on said tail with'thei-forwardends 4H1 ofsthefins'spac'e'd from said bod-$ and a main propellent cartridge locatedywithin said tail, the tail having passages for communicating. the. fire from ,said main cartridge, (of. an additional car-stridge comprising at least two propellent members each extending for a part of the circumference of the tail, and resilient means connecting 'urging the two free adjacent ends toward one another, said tail being provided with a sufiicient number of passages for transmitting the fire from the main cartridge to all said members simul- 'taneously.

permit the said free ends to be spread outfo'r placing t e cartridge around the-,"taillandzoper- 6.,A propulsive cartridge for projectiles, comprising at least two propellent elements, and yielding means connecting adjacent ends of said elementsat one pair of ends, said yielding means "permitting separation of free adjacent ends of said elements-and" normally operating to hold saidfree ends close together in'the form of a cylindrical:crown.

' II. The combination with a projectilehaving a body and a reduced tail portion with stabilizing at the free ,end thereof, of a propulsive cartridge of annular form for embracing said tail'between the body and fins, said cartridge aroundthe tail portion and forcausingsaid ends to move toward one'another and for holding the cartridge in place when so positioneda 8. Apropulsive cartridge for projectiles comprising a plurality of easing members for containing the propellant; andyielding means 'connecting all except onegpair of adjacent ends of said casing members, said means permitting separation of the saidcne pair. of adjacent ends and normallyi'operating to hold said pair of ends close together.

' EDGAR WILLIAM'BZRAND'I'." 

